Chapter 2

Victoria might have been Damien's childhood sweetheart, but when I saved his family from death's door, she abandoned them.

Five years ago, Damien's family was dying. His mother Margaret had terminal cancer. His father Thomas was in heart failure. His sister Lily was dying from a rare blood disease.

Victoria knew all of this. She visited the hospital once, took photos for social media sympathy, then never returned.

When Lily needed blood transfusions, Victoria didn't even donate. She just disappeared.

I was the one who turned them all into vampires, granting them immortality and perfect health. The transformation cost me immense power - I was weakened for months afterward.

Before the turning, I paid $800,000 for Margaret's cancer treatments. I paid $500,000 for Thomas's heart surgery. I paid $300,000 for Lily's blood disease specialists.

Only after I cleared all their medical debts and saved their lives did Damien accept my offer to turn him into a vampire.

Other vampires mocked him for it. Called him a kept vampire. A blood parasite living off his Sire's ancient wealth.

But I didn't care. I thought love would grow over the centuries.

At the end of the day, this family owed me everything - their very lives and immortality.

Lily had been my responsibility since I turned her at fifteen. I taught her everything about being a vampire - how to control bloodlust, how to move through mortal society, how to survive among our kind.

I spent $200,000 launching her modeling career - professional portfolio, $300,000 in agency connections, $150,000 in designer wardrobes.

I used my ancient vampire connections to get her on magazine covers. Called in centuries-old favors from vampire fashion moguls who owed me.

Now at twenty, she'd lived under my care for five years. I'd been more like a mother to her.

As for Thomas and Margaret - I'd given them everything.

They would have died painful deaths as humans. Now as vampires, they had eternal youth and strength.

But new vampires are weak. They needed my protection, my guidance, my ancient connections to survive in vampire society.

I gave them positions of status through my vampire network. Thomas became an advisor to a minor vampire lord - $120,000 annually for attending occasional meetings. Margaret became a liaison for a vampire art collective - $100,000 annually for hosting parties.

As humans, they could never have accessed these circles. These positions gave them respect among both vampires and influential mortals.

I paid the mansion's $45,000 monthly expenses. All household costs, human servants, everything.

I hired a blood courier who delivered premium ethical blood - $8,000 monthly just to satisfy their refined tastes.

The mansion's security wards alone cost $15,000 monthly. Protection spells from the witch covens ran $20,000 quarterly.

I wasn't just Damien's Sire - I was their provider. An ancient vampire ATM dispensing wealth and protection.

Even my vampire estate helped support them. I let Damien display his paintings at my properties - sold a few to my wealthy associates at $50,000 each.

My connections included some of the oldest vampires in North America.

I'd accumulated this wealth and influence over centuries. Meanwhile, they contributed nothing.

After everything I'd done for this family, they still treated a human outsider better than me.

Victoria approached me, smirking. Her designer outfit probably cost what Damien made in three months.

"I'm so sorry, Scarlett. If I'd known my joining would force you to give up your spot at the Grand Convocation, I might have declined. I was going to step back, but Damien insisted he had a solution. I offered to wait fifty years for the next one, but Damien wouldn't hear of me missing this chance. I hope you understand."

Lily clung to Victoria's arm like a starving creature. The same Lily whose life I'd saved and raised for five years.

"Of course! The Grand Convocation is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Victoria. She's human - she doesn't have another fifty years to wait like Sister Scarlett does. Sister Scarlett is immortal; she has endless opportunities. But Victoria only has this one chance in her human lifetime."

They both laughed.

The vampire world knew the Grand Convocation was sacred. Giving up your invitation was seen as profound weakness.

But they would force their provider, their savior, to endure this humiliation without a second thought.

Damien saw my fangs starting to descend and softened his tone. "Look, I know this isn't ideal, but what choice do we have? That penthouse you've been wanting - go ahead and buy it. Don't worry about the cost."

I held out my hand. "$500,000. Now."

"That much! You should be grateful I'm letting you spend your own money. Don't push your luck!"

I sneered. "Since when do I need your permission to spend my own wealth? How much do you contribute to this family each month?"

Damien's face flushed. "That's uncalled for."

His monthly contribution was $3,000 from paintings. Mine was $450,000 from centuries of accumulated wealth and investments.

He paid no price for his transformation - not counting the $1.6 million in medical debt I cleared before turning them.

I brought $2 million in liquid assets and this $8 million mansion into our relationship.

This family's comfortable vampire life came entirely from my ancient power and wealth.

Other vampires saw it clearly. They whispered about the weak vampire living off his Sire's centuries of accumulation.

Since they all loved Victoria so much, maybe she should support them instead.

Let's see how long they last without my wealth and protection.

"Scarlett, prepare the blood reserves! Everyone needs to feed before the Convocation," Margaret called out.

"Victoria, you used to share meals with Damien when you were children, right?"

"Oh yes, we'd picnic in the park three times a week. Such innocent, beautiful memories - before all this vampire darkness entered his life."

"You must miss Margaret's cooking after being away so long." I turned to Margaret. "Margaret, why don't you prepare some human food for Victoria?"

Then I settled onto our antique velvet sofa and began leisurely examining my nails.

The sofa cost $75,000. I'd acquired it last month from a vampire antiquarian.

Damien approached, his eyes flashing red. "How dare you make Margaret cook! She's still adjusting to her vampire transformation. Get up and prepare the blood reserves!"

The same Margaret I'd saved from dying of cancer by granting her immortality.

I feigned surprise. "Margaret, are you disabled? Why didn't you tell me?"

Margaret bristled. "Who's disabled? I'm perfectly fine. Don't curse me!"

"If you're well, why won't you cook for Victoria? Don't you want to?"

Margaret's face darkened. "Who says I won't cook?"

She spent two hours in the kitchen before finally serving Victoria dinner.

Lily pulled Victoria to my usual seat at the table. "Victoria is our guest. You don't mind giving up your place, right, Scarlett?"

Margaret brought blood reserves in crystal decanters. "If you're uncomfortable at the edge, take your glass to the kitchen. And clean up after yourself."

Incredible. They wouldn't even let me sit at the family table.

"No need. I have business with the Vampire Council tonight. I'm feeding elsewhere."

Damien's fangs descended slightly. "We leave for the Convocation tomorrow. Where are you going? Have you prepared the tribute gifts?"

"What, are you so weak that you can't even wrap a gift?"

Damien stared as I walked into the night.